West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-07-21

gentleman in dead swoon. I went
through the usual method of reStora-
tlon; and the patient presently revived.
lie seemed very much embarrassed, so |
excused myself and started 20 go home.
My good neighbor, Mrs. Brown, followed
me 10 the door and told me that was her
eldest son who had Just returned from
soiourn of eight wears in Paris. During
his absence he had not once swooned. but
had been in her house less than an hour
when the malady seized him.
Such was the popularity OF the Browns.
These continued happenings and frights
worked sadly upon the nerves Of my good
ncighbor Mrs Brown She became a
p-ey 10 the constant expectation of some
sudden trouble Fires, burglary, and
even murder haunted her Imagination !:
and many times during the early summer
| was sent for 10 soothe and quiet the
dear old lady, to whom became special
ly attached.
When these "fiurries of excitement, 4"
rs she called them, were well over. we
had many good laugh over the ridi-
culous side Of the panics. And il was
always a real refreshment 10 me, when
tired, TO go in and sit for a while
with Mrs Brown, and listen TO her
graphic descriptions of the "happen-
ings' in her household, and the curious
fatality which seemed 10 follow them
wherever they went
Coming back from our summer vaca-
ton, | was glad to welcome my good
neighbor, Mrs. Brown, for call
As we were costly seated i'm the back
parlor, for an exchange OF summer ex-
pcricnces the door-bell rang, and n tele-
graph boy brought a message / sent
return message, and came back to the
parlor, holding in my hand the slip of
paper upon which the message was writ
ten.
Seeing that bit of paper in your hand
makes me think of one of the most ridi-
culous things that happened during the
vacation said Mrs. Brown. 'Just one
of our kind of scrapes," " she added,
merrily.
At once l was on the qui gice for her
story.
You know" she proceeded 'our
church Is quite long walk for me with
my short breath and the warm weather.
and the children were all away except
Molly and me. SO Sunday evenings we
used to run in TO the Baptist church on
Blank street. The minister was very
~. IL.
was so cordial that we felt quite at home.
lie inquired where we lived, and no
ticed he wrote our address on slim of
paper, about the size OF that piece YOU
are holding Gou know how nervous
am about the children. and all summer
I've been dreadmlly worked up a-worry-
ing about them. For there were Mary
and Annie up at the mountains; and Jen-
N ba oh OF
do you know, / felt almost sure that
those tearing, daring boys of hers would
get drowned or some other dreadful
thing would happen TO them Then
George has been Kind o. poorly since he
came back TO America. so he took his
wife and the baby and went up to the
Thousand Isles, where we could hear
from them only at long intervals and
we sent the little boys down to their
grandfathers farm. As you may we'll
believe, | had enough to worry over.
Molly and / did not feel equal to the
expense of taking long vacation, be-
sides ] wanted TO keep the house open in
case any of the absentees should be taken
sick or die and be brought home to be
buried; for, you know, everything hap
pens with a crash at our house.
zone day left Molly at home and de
c.ared i wouldn't be such a goose any
longer, and started downtown for a round
Of shopping. Well, my heart began to
palpitate before pd fairly left the house,
for got to thinking about Molly and
what If She should swoOn, and you out
Of town and nobody there to bring her
to- and then got TO worrying about the
other children q never saw so many
white horses in one half hour i'm all my
life, and they always mean trouble for
mc), and my heart kept hammering
hlrdcr and harder till / really believe the
very clerks could hear the humping Of
it. So j forgot half Of my err
rands and started for home-Or
thought / did-but didn't notice
my mistake until we were well across
the ferry going in just the opposite di-
rcction, Of course, from what I wanted
TO. 1t took me whole hour, taking i'm
blOckades aud balky horses. before got
back TO take the right car for home, and
fully another hour the draw was off and a
little farther on q load of coal dumped
across he track before got to my own
door
II tried the key and IL wouldnt work.
I rang the bell violently. and no one
came I rang again and again, all the
while growing more and more excited.
At last felt :hc knob Of the door turn
slowly from the inside. / fell almost at
full length into the front hall ne the latch
gave way, and the door yielded to my
violent clOwding.
''As Molly held me up ! saw She was
crying, and ! noticed she held lon her hand
O Iip of paper about the size of that tcle-
gram. ] said Molly, what's hap
ppucdT
"Molly motioucd me TO be silent. and
aid 'Sh' sh"
" vs. ito telegram MollyF / ga,pcd
who's sick who's dead who, drowned
arc they an dcadr exclaimed in
ono breath, trying TO prepare myself for
thc worst. ] dropped into % chair nearer
dead than alive. Molly pointed to the
pack pmlor, aud said again. 'Sh. shr
So they arc al dead all Mollyr !
walled
Molly whispered timidly. ccaxingly.
tcanully: Oh mother do bee quiet and
pointed again toward the hurk pari0r.
aud again sibylhted. 'Sh, sb"
'I started up in q desperate way I was
bound TO know the worst ! had been
eh'dN long enough. and J was not TO be
kept longer in the dark